BioPod:  Single-use Filter Pod

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a single-use biodegradable beverage brewing-pod for use in high-pressure, high-heat beverage brewing machines with inlet and outlet probes, such as Keuring, Cuisinart and functionally similar machines. This disposable single-use device allows consumers to use their own dry ingredients (e.g., coffee, tea, etc.). The invention consists of a lid and a brewing chamber that has at least one window covered with a biodegradable filter window. The size of the filtered window(s) is calculated to allow even and slow flow of the beverage through the filter(s). The tightly placed lid prevents back-flow of the brewing beverage. While the solid bottom part of the brewing chamber blocks the path of least resistance, the biodegradable filter slows the brewing process. The slow brewing process will produce a full-bodied beverage. After its use, the entire pod and its content can be disposed without harming the environment.

BACKGROUND

Most single-use coffee pods or reusable baskets for Keuring coffeemachines (or similar coffee makers) pose several problems for the usersand the environment. The prepackaged single-use brew pods do not allowusers to use their own personal coffee grounds. As a result, theseprepackaged single-use pods tend to be expensive. Also, these plasticsingle-use pods have posed both health and environmental concerns. Theseplastic pods have filled a tremendous amount of space in our landfills.Boats and ships are forbidden to dispose non-biodegradable material inwater. As a results, these plastic pods have created usage problem forboat/ship owners. An alternative to these pre-filled single-use pods arethe various reusable filter baskets. These baskets allow users toconsume their own coffee (tea, etc.); but it poses the inconvenience ofcleaning, drying and storing of the basket after each use. Plasticconstruction of these filter baskets also poses the same environment andhealth issues as the single-use pods. But most importantly, thesebaskets do not produce full-bodied beverages due to their excessivelyporous mesh on the sides and the bottom of their brewing chambers.

SUMMARY

The single-use biodegradable beverage brewing pod of this invention isdesigned to be used in high-pressure, high-heat coffee makers with inletand outlet probes, such as Keuring, Cuisinart and functionally similarmachines. The embodiments of this invention are a removable lid, abrewing-chamber with a side window(s) that is covered by a biodegradablefilter. The users fill the brewing chamber with their desired beveragemedium and place the lid tightly on the chamber. When the entire pod isplaced in the brewing holster of a brewing machine and the machine isput in operational mode, the inlet probe of the machine will go throughthe predefined hole on the lid of the invention (or pierce through apredefined perforation) and inject the water into the brewing chamber.In conjunction with the solid bottom of the brewing chamber that blocksthe path of least resistance, the small window(s) that is covered by abiodegradable filter allows for the slow release of a full-bodiedbeverage into a cup. The size of the brewing chamber of the invention issuch that its bottom does not reach the outlet probe of the brewingmachine.

The present invention seeks to provide solutions to the aforementionedproblems. It is safe both for the environment and for the users. It notonly allows consumers to save money by using their own favorite drybeverage medium (e.g., coffee or tea), but its slow brewing process willproduce a full-bodied beverage. The invention is an ideal alternativefor use in places such as hotels, offices, restaurants, boats, ships,and residential places. Because the materials used in this invention arebiodegradable, the entire pod and its content can easily be placed in acompost; converting the landfilled-destined trash to natural fertilizer.

The above description is intended to be a brief summary of the inventionand is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

There are three drawings accompanying this disclosure. Description ofthese drawing can shed light on the functionality of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a bottom isometric view of the lid.

FIG. 2 is a front isometric view of the beverage brewing chamber.

FIG. 3 is a bottom isometric view of the beverage brewing chamber ofFIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This section mates references to FIG. 1, 2 and 3. BioPod (referring tothe name of this invention) is a single-use biodegradable beveragebrewing pod designed to be used in single-cup beverage brewing machinessuch as Keuring or the like. Users can fill the BioPod with their owndesired dry beverage medium, brew the beverage and then dispose theentire BioPod, with its content, in an environmentally safe way. Notonly BioPod's single-use is convenient and safe both environmentally andhealth-wise, but it also allows for the development of a fuller-bodiedbeverage.

This invention is composed of three parts: the lid L (FIG. 1), thebrewing chamber R (FIG. 2 & 3), and a window(s) covered by abiodegradable filter 7 (FIG. 2 & 3) (here thereafter, filtered window).All parts are made from disposable biodegradable materials. The lid L isconstructed from a flat hard paper disk 2 with a possible hole (orperforation) 3 in the center of it, and an integrated hard paper collar1 at the base of the disk 2. The brewing chamber R is composed of a hardpaper shell 5, 6, 8, 9, and at least one window that is covered with abiodegradable filter 7. The biodegradable filter could be attached frominside, outside or could be integrated within the window(s) 7. The hardshell 5, 6, 8, 9, is a biodegradable integrated piece with an annularflat ring 5 at the top, a possible standing rim at the base 8 (FIG. 3),and a solid flat bottom 9 (FIG. 3) to block the path of leastresistance. The shape of the brewing chamber R should correspond to theshape and the size of the beverage brewing machine's pod receptacle.

When used in an appropriate beverage brewing machine, the height of thebrewing chamber R capped with its lid L, from the top to the solid flatbottom 9 (FIG. 3), should not be long enough for the solid flat bottom 9(FIG. 3) to be punctured by the outlet probe of the beverage brewingmachine from below. If the brewing chamber R consists of a standing rimat the base 8 (FIG. 3), this standing rim 8 will fall to the outer sideof the beverage brewing machine's outlet probe when the device is usedin the machine. The diameter of the brewing chamber's top opening 4should be slightly smaller than the upper opening of the beveragebrewing machine's pod-receptacle, but large enough for the brewingchamber R to tightly fit into the pod-receptacle of the machine. Thediameter of the annular flat ring 5 at the top of the brewing chamber R,should be about 1.5 centimeter larger than the diameter of the brewingchamber's top opening 4. The diameter of the lid's disk 2 should be thesame size as the diameter of the annular flat ring 5. The diameter ofthe lid's integrated collar 1, on the other hand, is the same as thediameter of the brewing chamber's top opening 4. There will be at leastone filtered window 7 for the releasing of the brewed beverage whileretaining the dry beverage medium within the brewing chamber R. The sizeand the number of windows 7 are determined to ensured even and slowrelease of the beverage through the filtered window(s) 7.

The following steps are taken to brew the desired beverage using thisinvention. First, the brewing chamber R is filled with desired, beveragemedium. Experience shows that pressing down the beverage medium willresult in a fuller-bodied beverage. Next, the lid L is placed flat onthe top of the brewing chamber R and pressed down so that the lid'sintegrated collar 1 is tightly secured into the brewing chamber'sopening 4 and the lid's disk 2 lays flat on the annular flat ring 5 ofthe brewing chamber R. When the lid L covered brewing chamber R isplaced in a beverage brewing machine's pod-receptacle, the brewingchamber's annular flat ring 5, paired with the flat disk of the lid 2,will hold up the remainder of the brewing chamber R while preventingbackflow of the brewing beverage when the brewing machine is inoperation. The small filtered window(s) 7 and the flat solid bottom 9(FIG. 3) of the brewing chamber R will ensure slow and even release ofthe brewed beverage through the filtered window(s) 7.

The various embodiments and construction materials of this invention canbe constructed differently without violating the main spirit and intentof this invention. This paragraph provides a few examples of thesenon-principal variations. The lid's integrated collar 1 can assumedifferent forms such as a tubular ring (as shown on FIG. 1), a flatcircular band with a depth of a few millimeters, or a circulardepression (with a depth of a few millimeters and the same diameter as4) into the lid's disk 2. Likewise, the center of the lid L can have aflat solid surface, or have a hole (as in 3 of FIG. 1) or have aperforation for the admission of the brewing machine's inlet probe toinject liquid into the brewing chamber R. The lid L can be separate fromthe brewing chamber R or could be minimally attached to a corner of thechamber's annular flat ring 5 allowing opening and closing of the lid L.Alternatively, it is possible to construct a brewing chamber R sealedwith the lid L and prefilled with dry beverage medium. One possiblevariation of constructing the brewing chamber R is for the chamber R tobe mostly made of biodegradable filter save the annular flat ring 5 andpossibly a narrow hard collar band immediately below it.

As the illustrated examples in paragraph [010] demonstrate, theembodiments, materials and the constructional details of this inventioncan vary without departing from the spirit, scope and the mainfunctioning principles of the invention. The Figures of this documentare intended only for illustration purposes; they are not to limit theclaims of this invention. The inventor reserves the right to modify andimprove the claim by appended claims hereto.

The principal embodiments of the invention claimed are defined asfollow:
 1. The single-use disposable beverage brewing-capsule of thisinvention consists of: (i) a biodegradable lid to prevent backflow ofthe brewing beverage; (ii) an integrated biodegradable hard shell forfilling and holding the dry beverage medium (such as coffee, tea, etc.);and (iii) a window(s) that is covered with a biodegradable filter on theside of the hard shell for releasing the brewed beverage while retainingthe dry beverage medium.
 2. The size and the number of thefilter-covered window(s) are computed for the slow and even release offull-bodied brewed beverage.
 3. The solid bottom of the brewing chamberblocks the path of least resistance that is created by the brewingmachine's high pressure hot water.